Kindred
by eza.xo
Summary: In which a curious adolescent Nightfury stumbles across a recently orphaned human child, Hiccup and becomes the boy's reluctant guardian. A Dragon with no experience with humans and faced with being the last of his species, and a child scarred by the loss of his family. Join them as they rediscover family together and forge a friendship that will change the Viking world.
1. Foundling

**A/N:**For now, this is a mammoth one shot. I've left it as "in progress", because this is a newish writing style and perspective for me, so if I get some interest I might continue it, but for now I'm happy with it as is. Just a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone, and a gratuitous excuse for bby!Hiccup. :D Please read and review, reviews are love!

I am hungry.

My stomach growls and cramps painfully, a consistent reminder of the gnawing emptiness. I can't remember my last meal and I don't try too hard; thinking of food is painful. The sun shines bright and painful directly into my sensitive eyes and I slit them against the glare. The wind whips at my face, wafts the tantalising smells of salt and fish into my nose. It is warm today, in a way it hasn't been for many moons. I feel the warmth in my scales and in the rocky outcrop I am stretched upon. It is an odd comfort against the hunger pangs in my stomach and the uncomfortable jab of my rock bed. Normally, food would be a simply matter of going hunting, but I dare not leave my resting place. This island is populated by those bulky Skinchangers and they don't mix well with Dragonkind. For an adult Dragon, the risk from Skinchangers is usually negligible, so long as they do not encounter a group. For a young Dragon like myself, barely older than a Hatchling? Well, even one Skinchangers could be fatal, or so Mother says.

Skinchangers are dangerous, hatchling. Do not approach them on your own. I remember her warning well, and even though I have seen many suncycles since she left, I remain here. Young Dragons live with their parents until they shed their first scales and have their Naming; I am only a few mooncycles away from receiving mine, and I am not ashamed to say I am counting the time.

"Little Dragon all alone, sitting on your slab of stone!" The mocking cry jerks me from my contemplation of the ocean, and I look up to see a gull wheeling lazily above my head. I really hate birds, in almost every variety; they are pests of the sky, mocking little creatures who believe themselves witty for being able to rhyme. I climb gracefully to my feet, stretch long and slow, making sure my talons scrape noisily against the rock. I smile up at the gull, extending my teeth just so the idiot bird doesn't miss my point. I am dangerous.  
"I will allow your insult this once. Fly away, little bird, for I will not tolerate another." I don't know why I am surprised that this bird is completely lacking in self preservation; the insolent creature drops down to hover lower, almost level with my eyes.  
"This one thinks you're left behind -" I do not allow the bird to finish, but let loose a single small burst of my fire. Aside from a few singed feathers, the gull survives the hit and flies away screeching. I am alone once more, and it is somehow worse than it was before.

As a rule, young Dragons and especially Hatchlings are not left alone. My mother and I were tired, however, after a long flight across the ocean. I was to rest while she scouted the next leg of our journey, but she is yet to return. If she does not come by tonight, I will have to leave and go hunting. Dragons can last a remarkable amount of time on very little food, but once that time has passed our bodies deteriorate rapidly. I am just beginning to sink back into the stupor I have existed in for the past suncycles when the acrid smell of smoke assaults my nostrils. I haven't smelled it so strongly since I accidentally blew up that abandoned Skinchanger dwelling some three islands ago. I lift my face to the wind, inhaling deeply, curious in spite of myself. More faintly, I can smell death mixed in with other things I would rather not name.

I am not interested. I don't want to know. It's probably dangerous.

I firmly tell myself, shifting on my ledge because I am going to lie down and -  
Okay, I lied. I intended to lie back down, but I slipped off of the edge, accidentally of course. Being born to the sky as I am, I only fell a few winglengths before I caught a wind thermal and spiralled upwards. Now that I am in the sky, I may as well go and investigate the source of the smell; I mean, it's not as though I've had any exercise recently. Mother would be furious, but a part of me I'm currently ignoring is beginning to think she isn't coming back. It's up to me, now, to look after myself. I can't wait on that ledge any longer.

Let me tell you, there are some wonderful benefits to flying, more so when you're a Voidsinger. I don't like to brag, but we're one of the fastest breeds of Dragon. My point? It took a ridiculously small amount of time to find the source of the smell; I just followed my nose. Okay, so the giant plume of black smoke might have helped a little, but only a little. The trees abruptly give way to the burning ruins of a tiny farm. The house is half standing, but the fire rapidly consuming the building promises a quick end to that; dead cattle lie scattered beyond the building, slaughtered in the fields they had likely been grazing. I hover above the destruction, observing it dispassionately. This is what my Mother warned me about. This is a Skinchanger settlement, likely destroyed by others of their kind.

I am about to turn away, my curiosity sated if not my hunger, when my gaze drifts back to the dead beasts. They are no use to the Skinchangers who's still forms I can see lying discarded in the dirt, and it would be a shame to waste them…  
I don't spend too much time debating the issue. There is no one around, and my stomach is aching with hunger. I dive on the first carcass I come across, and this is going to be so good and I'm just this side of drooling -

Ping!

A sharp pain in my shoulder diverts my attention and I roar in surprise, spinning to face the threat with teeth and wings extended. A tiny Skinchanger faces off against me, a small stone in its hand, likely the sister to the one that had hit my shoulder. The tiny creature shouts at me in its funny, lilting language, gesturing between myself and my lunch. I can't understand what it says, but I understand it is trying to scare me away from my food. This is the weirdest, smallest Skinchanger I have ever seen; filthy and apparently malformed, with hide that hangs loosely from its skinny frame and brushes the ground, and I wonder how it manages to walk. Fur the same shade as those oddly tasty chestnut things flops into its face, getting in the way of eyes eerily close in colour to my own. Trails of moisture make a path through the grime on its face, and I am confused because they smell of salt. It has definitely not been bathing in the ocean, I can tell by the smell.

We are in a stalemate, the Skinchanger and I. It would be a simple matter to flame it out of existence and go back to my meal, but I find I am oddly reluctant to do so. I blame the shaking in the small thing's limbs, the way it faces me despite the fact it is akin to a field mouse to my goshawk. Surely such a little thing can pose no danger to me, and I've never been this close to a Skinchanger before. Cautiously, I take a step closer, watching carefully in case it should suddenly produce a weapon of some kind. It flinches violently, but does not retreat. It is a male, I decide upon closer inspection, thinking of the rounded frames of other Skinchangers. Mother says the one's with the funny chest bumps are the females, and though this one is built delicately like the females, there are no bumps. It, no he, watches warily as I approach, eyes wide in his dirty face. I am impressed with his gall; I have seen much larger Skinchangers run at the sight of another Dragonkind. My heart thumps double time and though I would admit it to no one, I am nervous and excited, like the first time I ever flew. This is the most daring thing I have ever done; I am breaking every rule of Dragonkind, this is forbidden, what would Mother say -

My nose brushes his fur, the startled snort I let loose ruffling the surprisingly soft strands. They tickle my muzzle and the smell of fire and death overwhelms my senses. Beneath that, I smell something fresh and sweet; though it makes no sense it brings to mind a crisp Spring breeze, bright with the promise of new life. He stands rigidly still for my inspection, although I can sense the fine tremor in his limbs being this close. I move my inspection to his droopy hide and oh! It is not attached at all! This close, I can see that it covers his body, and is not a part of it at all. Curious, I carefully grip the edge that dangles from his front legs and give it a gentle tug. He makes a surprised sound, but the action seems to cause him no pain. I tug it a little harder, and then I am the one who is surprised when the tiny creature falls into me. He bounces off of my much harder frame and thumps to the ground on his rear.

Moisture wells in his eyes and begins to trail down his face and the salt smell strengthens. So it comes from his eyes, how curious. Perhaps he is injured? I lower my face to smell for any injuries and I am shocked for a second time when the Skinchanger throws his skinny front legs around my neck. He is too small to reach all the way around and tiny, blunt claws dig at my scales in a manner that is surprisingly pleasant. I attempt to move back, but he clings to me and is dragged along, and he is making a high pitched whining sound.

Well, now what? I wonder, tilting my head so that I might stare down at my unexpected passenger. At least he has dropped the rock, I suppose. I sigh, and for reasons I am unwilling even to explain to myself, I allow the small creature to remain in contact with me. I take a few waddling steps, careful not to step on the limbs hanging awkwardly from my neck and trailing on the ground. The third step dislodges the Skinchaner and it thumps back to the ground; with a mental shrug, I step past it and carry on my way. It may keep the cow, and I will go fishing. I spread my wings, ready to fly away when a high pitched wail stops me. I look back, and the tiny thing is looking at me with those eyes and for some reason I feel like a terrible Dragon. He looks at me and then he looks at the bigger Skinchangers I had seen before and suddenly it clicks with embarrassing slowness.

He is a Hatchling. Wide eyed, I look at the corpses of its parents and suddenly realised what I have found. An orphaned Hatchling, defenseless and likely very soon to be dead if I leave it now. I am not quite an adult myself, still a Fledgeling by Dragon standards and very probably an orphan myself. I have no business taking on the care of another, let alone a Skinchanger. But, perhaps two orphans will stand a better chance than one. If not, I'm sure I can just drop him on a boat or something; one Skinchanger is as good as any other, is it not?

He seems to realise I have come to a decision, and with a speed I am almost impressed by, he scrambles onto his hind claws and totters after me. I dare not fly with my new tiny burden and my feet ache at what I now face. It is going to be a very long walk.


	2. Adjusting

**A/N:**Thank you so much to everyone for all the support! I hadn't intended to continue this, but the response was far greater than I was expecting, so I elected to keep going. I haven't got a big plan for this story, so it really could go anywhere. Feel free to let me know if there's something you'd like to see!

Special thanks to **potatosock, DoomsdayBeam, Carlmike, Jelloshots **and **AtkiakFF **for taking the time to leave a review and give me the much needed encouragement!

**CracktheSkye -**Thanks for your constructive criticism, it really helped and I edited the first chapter accordingly. I found it read much better after I did that, so thank you once again. Thank you so much for all your comments, they really meant a lot. I hope the world buildin I've added in here lives up to the first chapter. :)

~x~

"Hicc-up."

The boy has been repeating the strange word for the majority of our walk and I am starting to have concerns I might end up repeating it in my sleep. He trails along just behind my left shoulder, irregularly brushing up against my folded wing. Walking is not easy for a Dragon on a good day - walking through dense forest is definitely not my description of a good day. My feet ache fiercely and it takes concentration to avoid scraping my wings on trees. Several times I've been forced to alter direction slightly to avoid a gap I can't fit through.  
"Hicc-up. Hiccup. Hiccup, Hiccup!" The boy carries on behind me and I flatten my ears against my head, wishing I could drown him out. Is that all you can say? I wonder irritably, though if he was to say anything else I wouldn't understand anyway. Might as well name you Hiccup, since you like it so much.

The forest floor is littered with vegetation, twigs that poke at the tender spaces between my talons and moss that sticks unpleasantly. The hatchling - Hiccup - is not having much better luck; I have heard him fall several times, but I am quietly impressed by how quickly he gets back up. I had always thought human children sit around and cry, but this one -

Sniff.

Oh dear. I am almost afraid to look, but the same part that had been discomfited by the idea of leaving the child is apparently just as concerned by crying. I stop and turn to find my charge has fallen several feet behind and is sitting upon the ground. He stares at me with liquid eyes and I am not so stupid I don't see the pleading in the gaze, although I can't figure what he wants. Take the child with you, what could possibly go wrong? I berate myself as I walk back to where he waits, and it is only when I get close I smell the faint tinge of blood.

Haven't even had him for a suncycle and he's already injured. As I draw near, the liquid in his eyes spills over and it is suddenly like a dam breaking. I've only ever seen a dam break once, but I find the comparison apt; the first drops quickly morph into a steady stream, accompanied by hitched breathing and I can see this is going nowhere good. I sniff gently at the boy, looking for the source of his injury. Aside from crying he sits quietly, whimpering only slightly when I get to his rear paws and my nose brushes the tender flesh. His rear paws are scratched and while there is only a little blood they do look painful. How, in the name of the Sky Mother, do Skinchangers ever get anywhere? I can't help but wonder. Even a Hatchling knows Skinchangers get around by walking on their rear paws, but how do they manage that if their skin is so fragile?

Tiny paws touch the top of my head, brush lightly against an ear flap and I have to tamp down on the instinct to flinch. Hiccup seems oblivious to my unease, and in fact even goes so far as to actually pull on my ear. It is not enough to hurt, but is so surprising that I don't even think to pull away. The next thing I know, the little Terror has climbed gracelessly up over my head and settled himself on the natural dip where my shoulders and neck meet.

And I freeze.

I am not a horse! Is my first thought, liberally coated in stung pride. Hiccup giggles, his little rear paws drumming uncomfortably on the sides of my neck and I am reminded of the blood and his tears. No I am not a horse, but he cannot walk on his own.

Sky mother save me, what have I gotten myself into?

I resign myself to my fate with a quiet sigh, and set off once more for my cliff. I expect Hiccup to keep kicking his legs, or to perhaps strangle me when I begin moving, but I am pleasantly surprised when the boy does neither. He sits comfortably and weighs so little that after a while I almost forget he's there. Almost. My pride is still wounded, but I will tolerate the indignity for the sake of my new hatchling. Hiccup's blunt little claws scritch at my neck as I walk, and it feels nice enough that my whole day looks a little more improved. I can drop the Hatchling back at my cliff and then I can hunt us some lunch. I hope humans can eat fish, because it's my favourite and the easiest to hunt.

The trees disappear rather abruptly and I stop in shock; I hadn't even realised how much ground we were covering. The wind is much stronger here at the cliff edge, whipping at my face and combing along my wings. The urge to fly is strong, and the groaning of my stomach only makes it worse. I make my way to the edge of the cliff and stare down at the ledge that's been my home since Mother left. Now, do I climb down with Hiccup or do I -

Hiccup whimpers and suddenly his legs are strangling me. With some difficulty, given how tightly he holds onto me, I angle my head enough that I can see him. He is looking nervously at the roiling ocean below and fidgeting upon my back. I look away from the Skinchanger and down to the ledge and I almost sigh as holes start appearing in my plan. Perhaps a Skinchanger child left alone on a cliff ledge is not the best idea. The forest doesn't look like an ideal place to leave Hiccup, either, with all that open space; there could be wolves, or bears or any other form of trouble. The cliff is pockmarked with plenty of small recesses and caves. The idea of leaving Hiccup somewhere he could so easily fall makes me nervous, but the inaccessibility of a cave appeals to me. Getting to it will be a challenge, but I'm sure the child can hang on if I take it slowly.

I don't give Hiccup time to react to what I'm planning; I feel like the faster I get it over with, the less frightened he will be. I spread my wings and push into the air as smoothly as I can. This close to the cliff edge the wind catches beneath my wings immediately and I spiral upwards. Hiccup screams, a small sound that cuts off almost as soon as it begins. He clings to me with strength I wouldn't believe his tiny frame would possess. I angle downwards, drifting parallel to the cliff face and examining the honeycomb surface of the wall. It takes a while before I find one I'm satisfied with, but eventually I settle upon a small, narrow opening near the top of the cliff. The size of the opening denies entrance to larger Dragons, while my own lithe frame will fit quite neatly. The interior of the recess is smaller than I had originally thought, but still suits my purposes well. It takes some careful manoeuvring to get through the opening, and the space is really only just big enough for the two of us. Hiccup slides from my back almost immediately, plopping to the floor on his rear and glaring defiance up at me.  
"Bad." He growls, folding skinny arms across an equally narrow chest. I have no idea what the word means, but I can guess that he is reprimanding me for the impromptu flight.

Not one to be scolded by my own hatchling, I make sure to gently thwack him with my tail on the way back out.

~x~

The hunting goes surprisingly well, and I am near to bursting with pride when I return to our den laden with armloads of fish. I spill the pile proudly before Hiccup, who gives the entire thing a distasteful look. This is fine, as I am not expecting him to eat just yet. Hatchling Dragons often have the same reaction when they first come across food; fish doesn't seem to develop any appeal until we are strong enough to digest it on our own. My stomach is rumbling so loud I fancy I can feel the walls vibrating, but duty means I must wait for my meal. I swallow the first fish and try to ignore the delicious, oily flavour that bursts on my tongue. Hiccup watches dubiously as I sit for a moment, waiting for the fish to partially digest. When I am ready, I lean over my hatchling and regurgitate the softened, slimy fish into his lap.

There, hatchling. I have provided for you, like any good father. I sit back on my haunches and wait, feeling inordinately pleased with myself. Males quite often take on the responsibility of feeding newly hatched young, hunting and storing food to feed both himself and his mate while the eggs harden. When the eggs hatch the parents switch places, leaving the father to care for the Hatchlings while the mother hunts. I hadn't thought to be feeding any Hatchlings for many more mooncycles, if not longer, but here I am. Hiccup stares aghast at my offering and then, delicately pinching the tail between two of his nimble little claws, he drops it on the ground next to his feet.

I am truly baffled. Is he sick, or injured? Is this why he will not eat? Do young Skinchangers not eat? Hiccup's stomach growls loudly, answering the last of my questions. He is hungry, and yet he does not eat my food. Perplexed, I contemplate the rest of my pile of fish. Perhaps he is older than I originally estimated, and he does not need his food digested? Yes, that seems right. I mimic his earlier motion, although with far less grace, scooping another fish from my pile with my talons and dropping that into Hiccup's lap. He looks far less disgusted by this offering, although his nose still wrinkles and he makes no attempt to eat it.

Frustration and hunger gnaw at me simultaneously. What does he want? I know nothing of Skinchanger children. Is there something I am doing wrong?

Splat!

The fish strikes me directly between the eyes, sticking to my face for a moment before it falls to the ground with a noisy 'plop'. Hiccup crosses his arms and stares at me, leaning forward so that I can't help but notice the mutinous expression on his face.  
"Bad!" He enunciates carefully and then punctuates this by nudging the fish with one paw. The fish that I caught, that for some reason is not good enough. Irritation surges through me and I can feel my tail lashing back and forth behind me. I don't mean to, but a tiny burst of flame erupts from my mouth, and rather than direct my ire at Hiccup, I focus on the fish. It sizzles instantly and goes a little black; the smell that wafts from it is utterly foul, but Hiccup's face lights up. He snatches the fish from where it lies, yelping as the heat burns his paws. I watch in utter disgust as he blows on the fish until it cools and then tears into the slightly blackened fish.

Skinchangers are disgusting.


	3. Bonding

**A/N:**I'm aliiiiiiive! Sorry about how delayed this chapter is, guys! I had mid semester exams. So I wrote an extra long chapter for this one. We're looking at mostly-fluff at the moment, but from here I'm going to start moving into some character development and plotting goodness!

_To Whitefang333: _Thanks for your review! I'm sorry if it was hard to believe. I was basing the moment loosely off of a recent event with my niece. She's 8, and she got a minor "booboo" the other day; she was upset to start with but a few minutes later she'd completely forgotten. That's what I was aiming for in the last chapter, but I understand if it wasn't explained enough. With regards to Toothless, he wasn't far away from adulthood and independence, so being on his own isn't too much of a big deal. However, he hasn't actually dealt with the loss of his mother, which is something we're going to explore in later chapters. Angst will abound, don't you worry! ;-)

I think I might be dying.

My stomach is so full my belly actually bulges. I ate so many fish that it is almost painful, and I feel like sleeping for a week. Hiccup barely ate one and he looks as though he feels the same. Which is ridiculous. He'll never grow if he's going to eat so little!

It takes more effort than I like to drag myself to the back of our little crevice and warming the stone with my fire is almost beyond me. But it's finally done, and I curl up on my gently flaming bed with relish. The heat licks pleasantly along my scales and I feel my eyelids grow heavy. I peel one eye open to check on Hiccup and find that he is still sitting exactly where I left him, watching me. _What in the name of the Skymother is he doing?_

I'm almost concerned enough to move; but really, if he is too silly to go to sleep then that is not my problem. Perhaps hatchling Skinchangers sleep during the day, and not at night? Maybe he's going to be awake all night. Maybe he's going to want _me_ to be awake all night. _Not happening_. I snort at him, just to make sure he knows that I'm not impressed by his antics. I sweep my tail around so my fins hide my face from view and then slowly allow my eyes to close.

The cave is silent, peaceful, and I am just beginning to drift away…

There is a scuffle close by as a small body shifts and then tiny Skinchanger claws dance across my sensitive tailfin. I flick them away from the irritating touch and a moment later Hiccup wraps the entirety of both paws around the tip of my tail. Outraged, I lift my tail and Hiccup squeals as he too is lifted from the ground, dangling a few inches in the air above. His grip slips and he lands with a thump on his rear. _Teach you to touch things that aren't yours, little terror_. I snort at him, curling my tail around the other way and out of his reach. Hiccup blinks at me, and for a moment I worry he is going to get upset. But he seems to decide the short drop was not painful enough for be worthy of fuss and I let out a quiet sigh. I have no idea why, but for some reason it really disturbs me when Hiccup is upset. _Must give me gas or something._

I grow tired of the staring rather quickly. With my tail safe, I shift so a little more of my back is facing my hatchling and close my eyes. _I think tomorrow I will go hunting_. Despite the fullness of my stomach, I look forward to stretching my wings properly. Breakfast will never have tasted better. And perhaps I am wrong, and Mother will come back tomorrow. I hope she doesn't eat Hiccup. The sleepy thought is nearly enough to worry me, but I am warm and comfortable and -

_Ow_!

Little paws are pulling on my ear and this time it hurts. My eyes snap open and Hiccup is leaning over my head, both his paws wrapped around one ear. He gives my ear another tug, and for the love of the Skymother I have no clue what he wants from me. Do Skinchangers never _sleep_? Frustrated, I jerk my ear from his grasp and get to my feet. I extend my teeth and carefully grip the back of Hiccup's loose thing. He doesn't scream when I lift him, so I can only assume it is not connected to him in any way, as I had thought. I carry Hiccup across the cave, holding him high so his legs don't drag. I'll just put him against the other wall and maybe he'll understand that's where _he_ sleeps while I sleep over on the other side. Away from mischievous Skinchanger paws. Halfway across the space, the weight in my mouth suddenly disappears and there is a quiet thump.

Hiccup has slipped right through his covering and sits at my feet in all his pale, fleshy glory. I drop the now useless hide and it lands on his head, drooping down over his eyes. Hiccup giggles and lifts the hide enough to be able to peer up at me._ Skinchangers_. I don't want to risk hurting the hatchling by carrying him without the loose hide for protection, so I leave Hiccup where he sits and return to my space. I briefly contemplate reheating the rock, but I am tired and so I simply collapse in an ungraceful heap.

I have no sooner lain down when I hear Hiccup moving once more and I let loose a long sigh. I have long grown tired of this game and I am beginning to contemplate some method of keeping him in one place. Perhaps I could wrap him in vines? Or perhaps just his paws. Really, I had never considered that having a Hatchling could be this difficult. Hiccup appears in my line of vision, covered once more by his baggy outerskin. I watch warily as he reaches out and grabs the edge of my wing; he pushes at it, making little huffs of exertion. He's not strong enough to move it against my will, and so I obligingly lift it. Perhaps if I give him whatever it is he is asking for, he will leave me to sleep. Hiccup crawls underneath and a moment later I feel his small frame tuck up against my side. He squirms for a moment longer against my ribs and then falls still.

I wait, but Hiccup does not move again and I eventually hear his breathing settle into a deep, steady rhythm. Asleep, finally. I drape my wing over his tiny form and close my own eyes. I sincerely hope this is not the ordeal I will face every night; I like sleep _far_ too much for that.

~x~

The following morning finds me swooping low over a choppy ocean. The wind moves strongly around me today, and I relish the challenge. My scales are wet and smell of salt, my nostrils filled with the delicious smell of fish. My claws are full, my arms uncomfortably strained to hold onto my substantial catch of the morning. Normally, I would simply eat fish as I catch them. It's not the most time efficient method of hunting, but Skymother it is_ fun_. Today, though, I have to think of my icky little Skinchanger. Icky because I'll probably have to use my fire on his fish again, and who really eats their food flamed? No self respecting Dragon would be caught eating charred food.

Hiccup was still sleeping when I left, a fact I find unsurprising given how long it took for him to fall asleep. I hope he is still asleep, but it has been quite some time since I left and so I doubt it. I skim over the waves, spluttering when a particularly high one slaps me in the face with salt water. The cliff face is in sight now, and my sharp eyes can pick out the slitted opening of our home. I pump my wings, lifting up and away from the water; the wind whistles in my ears as I fight my way upwards. I am not far from the cliff, anticipating a filling breakfast, and I can see Hiccup at the edge now. He is chasing a bird, arms outstretched, mouth stretched wide in a laugh.  
"Not so lonely anymore, you seem much happier than before!" The bird calls and I realise it is the same one from before.

I am contemplating shooting my fire at the infernal creature just on principle when Hiccup trips. There's a shriek of sound, a moment where I think everything slows down, and then his small form teeters over the lip of our cave. The wind catches him almost gleefully, spins him wildly about like a leaf caught in a hurricane. I fold my wings and dive after him, my eyes narrowed against the wind. There's a roaring in my ears and it takes a moment for me to realise it is me. Fish drop forgotten from my grasp and the bird dives after my hard earned catch. I pay them no attention, my wings pumping as I dive for my hatchling. Hiccup is screaming, and I think maybe I am too and my vision is filled with the rocky shore below.

It takes far too long for my claws to catch on my Skinchanger's outerwear, and even longer for him to be securely within my grasp. I try to be gentle as I wrap my claws around his skinny limbs, but my heart beats wildly in my chest and I am not calm enough for rational thought. I tug Hiccup against my chest, wrap my front legs firmly around him. He clutches at me as best he can, and I feel his blunt claws scrabbling over my scales. He shakes uncontrollably and I don't blame him. I fight to pull out of our dive, my wings snapping open. The wing swells the membranes and snaps us upwards. It tugs at me, pushing and pulling. I'm off balance and too close to the cliff face; for a moment, the world spins dizzyingly. Hiccup screams again, the sound snatched away by the wind and just barely audible. The cliff looms closer as I desperately fight against the wind._ Too close, too close!_

Pain blooms in my shoulder as I bodily strike the rock, fiery shards that radiate out along my side. I push off awkwardly with my hind legs, frantically beating my wins to counteract the pull of the wind and finally,_ finally_, our flight levels out.

I dive into our cave, snapping my wings closed just before they scrape against the edges of the opening. Landing is awkward; I don't want to let Hiccup go, and he seems even less inclined to let go of me. I drop onto my hindlegs, wobbling as I try to stay upright. Hiccup is keening softly, the sound bruising to something inside of me. I stretch out on my side, carefully holding his fragile body against me and curl both wings around us. My shoulder throbs, but I find the pain easy to ignore. It pales in comparison to the fear raging through my veins.

_Too close_. Is my first thought, followed quickly by _that bird is dead_. My heart rate is only now beginning to slow while Hiccup's thunders against my chest and there is wetness against my scales where he presses his face. Clearly, caves are not a good home for a young Skinchanger. I hadn't thought on what we would do for today, but it seems my decision has been made for me. We will search for a new home.

For now, neither of us are inclined to move and everything else can wait.


	4. Mourning

**A/N: **Sorry about the super delayed update, everyone! I've been really sick for the past week and I just haven't felt up to writing. It's been a real struggle to get this chapter out, but I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out. I'm sorry for any glaring errors; I really wanted to get this uploaded and done. I'll probably give it a second going over when I get the chance. Sorry to everyone who's reviewed and hasn't received a reply! I'm hoping to catch up shortly 3 {PS, for those of you following Snare I hope to update that sometime this week as well!}

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As it happens, finding a "new home" is not quite as easy as I had imagined. After some time spent calming Hiccup, I finally managed to leave the cave. My Hatchling refused to fly - started screaming as soon as I opened my wings. In the end, I was forced to seek out another method of leaving the cave.

Climbing up a cliff face while holding a child is not something I wish to attempt for a second time.

The sun cycle is half over now; it's warm and the sky is a beautiful blue and I can see a bird circling lazily above. I would love nothing more than to be that bird, to stretch my wings and return to the sky in which I belong. But the slight weight upon my shoulders and the skinny legs gripping tight to my neck remind me why I am walking.

I hate walking.

I can't remember my paws having ever been this sore before. Dragons are not made for walking, though I am better equipped for it than most. At least I am not like the Flameskins, whose talons are so long that walking for long distances is just awkward. Hiccup is quiet, and has been since we left the cave. I feel his weight, hear the occasional hitch in his breathing. He is still frightened; I can smell it on him. Of course, I'm not much better; what kind of parent loses their Hatchling on the second suncycle?

The wind shifts, blowing directly into my face, and it carries a scent I am coming to know well. _Skinchanger. _I stop, my tail lashing back and forth indecisively. Had I not taken on this Hatchling sitting endeavor with the thought I could drop my Hatchling - no, _the _Hatchlingwith other Skinchangers, if I should meet them? Really, what business do I have with a Hatchling? I am not ready to be caring for one of my own species, let alone that of another. If I were a good, noble Dragon, I would march myself after those Skinchangers and pass Hiccup into their care.

But I don't want to be alone.

I have never been so indecisive in my life, and I am perturbed by exactly how torn I am. Part of me wants to do what is best for Hiccup; a larger, more selfish part of me wants to move in the other direction. To keep him close, so that I don't have to face the awful loneliness before I found him. I am close to doing so, plotting how wide a berth I would need to give them to avoid being heard or scented.

_There's a shriek of sound, a moment where I think everything slows down, and then his small form teeters over the lip of our cave. The wind catches him almost gleefully, spins him wildly about like a leaf caught in a hurricane._

The image arrives unbidden and I am disgusted at the reminder of my failure. What a fool I was, to think I could care for a Hatchling. He had nearly died on his _second suncycle _with me.

Hiccup kicks at me with his heels, not enough to hurt, but he is clearly impatient with my stillness. _As if I am a horse to be ridden. _I move forward, however, and despite my reluctance I find myself moving towards the Skinchanger scent. _Just a peek. Maybe Hiccup won't like them._

I hear them long before I see them; the clomp and thud of many Skinchanger feet. They sound like a stampeding horde of buffalo. I feel the vibrations of their passage in the ground at my feet, hear the crackle of vegetation in my ears. I crest the top of a small hill in a crawl, my belly low to the ground. Hiccup is silent, clinging to my neck as I slither carefully through the brush.

They're a reasonably small group of Skinchangers, perhaps twenty in total. Their hides are rough and filthy, the pungent smell of death enough to have me cringing, even at this distance. They carry weapons slung easily over their broad shoulders. Hiccup whimpers at the sight of them, flattening himself to my back, and I wonder at his reaction. One of his paws curls around my ear in a grip that is firm but not painful. I'm not sure why, but it seems to comfort him some and Hiccup falls silent.

_They don't look very safe for a Hatchling. _I observe, sweeping my gaze from the front of their little column to the back and -

They are talking in their strange, rough tongue. The words mean nothing, but the tone I understand well enough. They are in high spirits, clearly celebrating some victory or other. Four of the Skinchangers labour under a thick length of wood, two at each end. Hanging upside down from the wood…

Sunlight catches on midnight scales, on the slow drip of scarlet blood to stain the grass below. The breath freezes in my chest and it feels like fire crawls through my veins. I am burning alive and freezing cold at the same time. My heart thunders so loudly in my ears, it's a wonder the Skinchangers can't hear it. _No, no, no, no. _The chant starts in my mind, surges up into my throat until the act of holding it in is almost physical pain. Gas roils deep in my belly, the need to pour my fire all over their laughing faces a need I've never before encountered.

_I will burn them all. Every. Last. One._

Because they are filth. They are _murderers. _They have no _right _and they need to _die._

My vision is drenched in red, the rest of the world fading away but for the vision of my mother, my _mother, _trussed up and strung up like a deer. Like she is far less than the noble creature she was. I don't want to see how they killed her, don't want to look that closely. But it is not difficult to see, because the story is written in wounds and blood across her body. Their weapons are clean of blood, which means they stopped to clean them.

They cleaned their weapons, and then tied my mother to that piece of wood and they are carrying it so proudly and now they are _singing. _I spread my wings, the fire rising strong and ready in my throat; the burn of it is a familiar comfort. I will repay them for every indignity my mother suffered, and it will come from their flesh. When I am done there will be nothing left, the Skinchangers will sing tales of a Voidsinger's legendary fury -

"_Bad." _Sanity returns with the force of a rock between the eyes. My ear is being strangled in a tiny Skinchanger paw, another one slapping insistently at the side of my neck. The rage abates, slowing from an all consuming fire to a quiet simmer. There is grief, and sorrow; but for now I hold onto the rage. I can smell Hiccup's fear, and when I tilt my head to look back at him, his eyes are tearing up. He is pointing away from the Skinchangers, deeper into the forest, and his expression is one of naked pleading. I follow his gesture with my eyes, and for a moment I want nothing more than to go where he points; to forget the sight of my mother's broken body I'm sure has been forever burned into my mind.

One of the Skinchangers laughs and stabs at my mo- the body with his long handled weapon. The others seem to find this hysterical, particularly when the Skinchanger gives his now dirtied weapon a disgruntled look.

I don't remember deciding to act, but for a moment things get a little hazy. I am drowning in a maelstrom of emotions, and the world falls away for a moment. The next thing I am aware of, Hiccup's weight is gone from my back and I am slinking down the hill. _Burn them, burn them, burn them. _My thoughts are consumed, buried under the single minded compulsion for vengeance. The Skinchangers haven't seen me yet - I stay low to the ground, moving as stealthily as my bulk will allow. I'd like to fly in and roast them all, but if they managed to take my mother down, then they aren't as helpless as they look.

Oblivious to my approach, they carry on with their slow march and I try desperately not to watch the sway of the bloodied form once my mother. I am close, nearly close enough to take the first man down and suddenly fire seems too quick an end to them. I want to tear them apart with teeth and talons, make them pay for the shattered lump in my chest I think may have once been my heart. I am so close I can taste vengeance, and then there is a soft thump and a tiny squeal somewhere to my left.

_Hiccup._

The Skinchangers stop moving, their heads swivelling as they try to pinpoint the distant sound. Their leader, walking a few feet ahead, clomps back to them and speaks in low, growling tones. My heart is thumping in my chest for an entirely different reason, now. The leader points in the general direction the sound had come from, and the Skinchangers alter their course.

_They're going to find Hiccup!_

I don't know how, or why, but the thought is a terrifying one. Hiccup, my Hatchling; I've only had him for a day, there is no way he should be so important. The Skinchangers drop my mother's body to the ground, the four now relieved of their burden drawing their weapons. Their catch is forgotten as they move into the trees and now that the rage abates, I can finally think clearly. Hiccup is a Skinchanger; Skinchangers murdered the last of my family. The last of my _kind. _I am the last Voidsinger.

But Hiccup is my Skinchanger, and he is my family now. We are all that the other has. And I left him alone.

_Not for long._

I abandon stealth, and take to the skies. The Skinchangers shout as I swoop over their heads, a black blur of motion and I seriously doubt they got more than a glimpse of me. I spit fire as I pass them, a concentrated blast that shatters a tree not three feet in front of them. There are shouts as sharp bits of wood fly in every direction and the Skinchangers cover their faces. A couple of shards sting as they strike me, but none pierce through my scales.

Besides, I find their cries oddly satisfying.

Hiccup is easy to find; his little hind legs don't carry him far, particularly not when matched against a Dragons' wings. He is just climbing to his feet, covered in dirt from where he'd obviously tripped. He squeals again as I pluck him from the ground, as gently as I can manage and I tuck him close against my chest. This is the third time this suncycle I have carried him like this, a habit I am not sure I appreciate. It is oddly comforting, however, to feel his heart flutter against mine, fragile as a baby bird. For a moment, I feel less alone.

The sounds of pursuit grow fainter, easily outdistanced by the steady beat of my wings; I weave us through the trees a little longer to be safe, and only once I can no longer hear the Skinchangers do I land. Hiccup squirms from my grasp the moment I touch down, and when I release him he thumps down onto his rear. His face is red, streaked with wet tracks, his little paws clenched tight.  
_"Bad, bad bad!" _He snarls at me with all the ferocity of a wet kitten. I reach out to nose at him, half afraid he will start yelling and bring those Skinchangers back, and half hoping he will so I can have another chance at them.

_Thwap!_

Hiccup's clenched paw strikes sharply on the tip of my nose, and I am too shocked to be angry. He is glaring at me, his eyes narrowed fiercely, and really it would be a lot easier to take him seriously if he wasn't so tiny.

_Tiny and fragile. _My mind chooses that moment to remind me, and suddenly all I can see is the blood, tarnished dark scales and gaping wounds. My imagination viciously provides me with a vision of Hiccup, similarly battered and just as dead. I am surprised at the nausea that rolls through me first, followed quickly by a renewal of the blood rage I'd felt earlier. I ignore my Hatchling's temper, darting forward and pressing my nose to his skinny chest.

_Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump. _His heart beats steadily on, and I try to ignore the way it feels like that sound is the only thing holding my world together.


	5. Growing

**A/N: **So it seems once a week updates are all I'm capable of at the moment, for which I apologise. We're starting in with the timeskips now, and hopefully we'll start to see some more of Hiccup's character developement from here. I've deliberately not mentioned Hiccup's age, or how much time has passed; for the first, because Toothless doesn't know, for the second because I like to leave it open for interpretation.

Before we continue, a response to some reviews!

_Sairey13 - _Those are some really great thoughts! I wrote them down on my document for possible ideas to include, I hope you don't mind :) This story is very much going to be what the readers want. I only have a vague plan so far, and a lot of it is coming from you guys!

_Breyannia - _Flying _is _fun! I'm sure Hiccup will get there soon!

_LolitaPrincessLove - _I have heard a couple of people say they'd like to see the Dragonese happen, and I just couldn't resist! So here we have it, Hiccup learning Dragonese.

_alright a plot - _Aw, thank you so much! I want to try and work in a lot of the other elements from the movie if I can, but I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. Right now I'm very much flowing with the reviews here, and throwing in my own ideas here and there as well. And you're right, not every day, but the first few days/chapters, I had some points I wanted to get across and I wanted to lay down the initial groundwork for the awesome bond we see in the movie :)

Thanks everyone for your reviews and follows, I hope this chapter lives up!

~x~

I awaken to the prick of sunlight at my closed eyelids; the warmth that bathes my scales as the sun chases away the night. I lie with my eyes closed for a moment, waiting for the inevitable. The warm bundle that had been tucked against my side when I fell asleep is missing, which can really only mean -

Cold water splashes on my nose and I sit up with an undignified yelp. In my haste, I bang my head on the low hanging tree branch I'd forgotten was there. Peals of laughter add insult to injury and I narrow my eyes on Hiccup, who doesn't even try to look innocent.

He wipes his still wet hands on his outerwear, and smiles up at me in what I assume is supposed to be a winning manner. I snort at him and without warning, I lunge forward.

This is clearly what my young Skinchanger has been waiting for, as he takes off across the cove, swift and agile as a deer.  
"Old! Slow!" He calls over his shoulder, his tongue tripping over the still unfamiliar sounds that make up Dragonese. I had never thought a Skinchanger capable of learning Dragonese, and the day Hiccup first spoke a word of it, I think he nearly scared my scales white.

He is clever, my Skinchanger; we have seen the pass of many mooncycles together and it still surprises me how much he has grown. He is still a Hatchling, small and skinny, but now he moves like a creature that belongs in the wild. His paws are roughened and no longer get sore and bleed when we walk long distances. In the cold, when the white powder covers the ground, he wears coverings on his paws like other Skinchangers. The story of how I appropriated those for my Hatchling is one I wish never to repeat. He climbs a tree well enough, and falls perhaps only half of the time. He can't catch his own food yet, but Hatchlings aren't expected to do that for some time; and I have noticed that only much bigger Skinchangers go hunting.

The cove was a blessing from the Skymother when we found it, shortly after...Well, after. The walls are high, smooth rock that forms a natural shelter. A small waterfall feeds our little lake, teeming with fish, and in the dead of the cold mooncycles when it freezes, it is a beautiful sight. Hiccup is safe here, and though I try not to do it often, I have left him alone here many times without incident. A tree grows against the side of the cove, the biggest I think I have ever seen. There is a small hollow at the base of the tree, just barely big enough for Hiccup, but it provides shelter from the weather in the colder mooncycles.

I catch Hiccup by the back of his hide, carefully clenching the cloth in my teeth and yanking him to a sudden stop.  
"Who is slow now?" It is difficult to speak around a mouthful of Hatchling, but the growls and croons of my language have been known to me since before I hatched, when I listened and learned through the shell of my egg. Hiccup laughs and slaps ineffectually at my nose,  
"Let go!" He tells me, and at that I realise how foul his cloth covering tastes.

I let go as abruptly as I had grabbed him and Hiccup lands with a 'plop' on his rear.  
"You smell. And you taste like old fish." I inform him, dropping onto my haunches and curling my tail around my legs. Hiccup gives the comment some thought, peeling his covering away from his body and giving it a careful inspection with both eyes and nose.  
"Yes!" He finally agrees with a decisive nod and I chuff a laugh.  
"You need more of these things." I nudge the cloth with my nose, careful not to inhale as I do so, and Hiccup agrees with another nod.

We fly most of the way across the island, with Hiccup held carefully in my claws. We have tried flying with him astride once or twice, but his legs are simply not strong enough to hold him to my neck. Until he grows, this is an arrangement that works for the both of us; Hiccup's fear of the skies was slow to depart, no doubt due to the cave incident we do not speak of. Now he thrills in our short flights, infrequent as they are.  
"Faster!" Hiccup yells over the howl of the wind, and I am only too happy to obey.

I land us in the shelter of the trees some distance away from our destination, and we creep the rest of the way on foot.

We lurk within the forest, just at the edge of the first Skinchanger dwelling.

The village is a small, squat thing built on the hills overlooking the sea. Rickety wooden structures lead down to where the Skinchangers leave their boats and another structure sits separate, built on the edge of a cliff. I had found the village a few mooncycles ago, and together my Hatchling and I had whiled away many a suncycle observing it. We never stray too close, for neither one of us wish to be caught. Perhaps it would not be so bad for Hiccup, given they are his kind, but after our last encounter with Skinchangers I am less inclined to let them near my Hatchling.

_Now how are we going to do this? _The idea had seemed good in theory; neither of us knows how to make the outer skin that Hiccup wears, and the weather is too cold for him to do without it. With the cold mooncycles approaching once again, he cannot do without them. Learning that snow and uncovered Skinchanger paws do not mix well was one awkward experience too many.  
"Too many." Hiccup murmurs into the quiet, his hand gesturing vaguely in the direction of the village. I can't help but agree, and it seems our cause is lost.

"Hurry _up, _Ruffnut!" The shrill voice reaches my ears just as I am contemplating a departure. Hiccup points immediately to the two small Skinchangers hurrying away from the village and into the forest. They are not much bigger than Hiccup, likely Hatchlings themselves and _thank you, Skymother, _their front legs are loaded with baskets of hides.

"Convenient." I stretch my mouth wide in a toothless smile, the expression I had learned from my Hatchling to mean happy. Hiccup scrambles up onto my shoulders, his skinny legs curling firmly around my neck, and we slink silently after the Hatchlings. They lead us on a short trek through the trees to the river, where they kneel upon the bank side by side.  
"Are they...washing?" I query, thinking of a time I'd seen Hiccup dunking his own in the lake, muttering about being dirty. Hiccup is quiet a long time, just long enough for me to wonder if I spoke too fast. Hiccup's understanding of Dragonese is much better than his ability to speak it, but sometimes he still gets confused.  
"Think so." Hiccup finally replies, wrinkling his nose.

Hiccup hates bathing, and both forms of skin get a very rare washing. Usually I have to physically drop him in the lake, but the water is always so cold he never stays in long.  
"This is stupid," One of the Hatchling's says abruptly, and I think she is female by the high pitch of her voice. Her fur is the yellow of beach sand and rests on her back in a short, thick braid. The other's fur is in two braids on either side of her face and is more tan than yellow.  
"Why doesn't Tuffnut have to do the washing? I _hate _washing!" The one called Ruffnut complains, plunging the first item into the river viciously.  
"Because we're _girls _and that's what girls _do." _The other retorts, and from her tone I guess she is unhappy as well.

"What now?" Hiccup nudges my side with his paw, and I switch my attention from the females to my Hatchling.  
"Distraction?" I suggest after a moment, and Hiccup nods. He slides down from my neck and lands lightly beside me. He slinks out of the trees slowly, making very little noise as he does so. He is just edging into the clearing when a branch snaps beneath his paw, the sound harsh on the still air. I am not entirely sure if it is an accident, but it has the desired result. Both girls spin around and Hiccup freezes under their stare.  
"Who're you?" The first girl demands, standing up. I guess it is a question by the tone of her voice, though the words mean nothing to me.

Hiccup tips his head at the girls, his long fur sweeping in front of his eyes and smiles.  
"Where did you come from?" Ruffnut takes a step away from the river, eyeing Hiccup suspiciously. "Never seen you before." She adds, and I can see the curiosity in her face.

I wait patiently in the trees as the Skinchangers slowly creep closer to Hiccup and he lets them. They ask him several more questions, but Hiccup doesn't reply; I don't know how much of the Skinchanger language Hiccup remembers, so he might be as confused by their questions as I am. When the first girl gets close enough she can almost touch him, Hiccup turns and runs off - in the opposite direction to where I wait.

The girls yell after him, and after a quickly exchanged glance, they take off in pursuit. I hadn't really expected it to be so easy, but then Skinchangers are a curious lot, and Hatchlings of any species are even worse. I wait for a few moments after they leave before I dive upon the basket, snatching it up in my claws and diving across the river and back into the shelter of the trees to wait for Hiccup to return.

The girls return before Hiccup, mere seconds after I return to hiding. They must have only chased him a very short distance before changing their minds. They exclaim noisily upon finding their missing basket, and I chuff a quiet laugh to myself. A moment later, Hiccup leaps from the bushes and lands heavily upon my back, laughing quietly to himself.  
"Scare you?" He whispers, leaning close to my ear flap. I snort to let him know how ridiculous I find the question, and flick him with the ear he'd been leaning so close to.  
"Not even close." I respond, and turn away from the river to go home.

Hiccup drops down off my back and scoops the basket into his paws, heaving the heavy weight up against his chest.

The hides we stole, it turns out, are clearly made for an adult Skinchanger. The top part alone, when Hiccup puts it on, completely swamps him and trails in the dirt behind him when he tries to talk. He strips after the first step, and only my nose stops him planting his face upon the ground. The hide intended for his rear legs is a complete loss, with Hiccup's legs so much shorter it'll be a wonder if he doesn't get lost inside them.  
"Maybe next time we should try for Hatchling sized skins." I wonder aloud, and cannot help but to laugh at the sight of my Hatchling, swimming in cloth and hid.


	6. Threatening

**A/N:** Good news! I've finally worked out what the heckie I'm doing, so we're gonna get some plot progression in this chapter, and hopefully we'll be able to bring this AU little adventure a tad closer to the movie! Yay! Also I may miss an update this week, since my final exams are coming up and I'm supposed to be studying, but we'll see how we go!

_Jason Brody - _Thank you very much! I'm glad you've enjoyed!

_Sairey13 - _I think we'll definitely be seeing some Stoick in this story; I love him way too much to eliminate him from my writing

_Breyannia - _Always gotta have a villain ;D Couldn't leave our Giant Dragon Queen out, now could we?

_XXPinkMustacheXX - _I'm really pleased that you said that, because that's the exact age range I have in my head at the moment! So I'm glad I'm writing it enough it's recogniseable

_kitty.0 - _Yeah, that made me giggle too ;-)

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_Little Voidsinger._

It's dark, the moon huge and round in a star filled sky. At first, I'm not sure what wakens me, for everything seems right in my world. There is a small bundle against my side, tucked close and safe beneath the protective curl of my wing. I feel each expansion of my Hatchling's chest as he breathes; feel the sigh of air across my scales as the gentlest of touches.

And yet my heart pounds double time in my chest, and I feel threatened, torn between the impulse to bare my teeth and hide.

_Little Voidsinger. Do not ignore me, child. You are safe with me._

And then I hear it; a voice whispering across the edges of my mind, smooth and warm. Beneath it I feel the steel of command, and my muscles twitch as though to obey, but I curl closer around Hiccup and flatten my ears to my head.

_Silly Hatchling, you cannot block your ears to me._

Be quiet, I want to tell the voice. Leave me in peace. But her words linger, push and prod at me and I feel as though I'll never rest again. Her voice is at once the most wonderful and horrible thing I've ever heard. Spasms pass along my body and I've never felt as at war with myself as I do now.

_Come to me, little Voidsinger. Here, here, here…_

Her voice echoes in my mind, and I think I black out for a moment; one moment I am curled close around the only family I have, the next I am airborne, flying fast and hard. The island is a blur of landscape below me, a dark mass I can barely see. I have no idea how far I've flown, or even where I'm going. Part of me panics, because I have left Hiccup asleep and alone, vulnerable to the cold without my heat to protect him. A greater part of me panics because I _cannot turn around. _

I can no more change direction than I can breathe underwater, and this is terrifying. My mind is consumed by the chant of Her voice and my body follows Her call without any consent from me. The island peels away below me and now the ocean is what rushes by.

_That's it, not long now, little Voidsinger. You are nearly home._

She speaks again, and She is pleased. I can hear the smug satisfaction in her tone, and I'd like nothing more than to burn her away with my Fire - for taking my will, if nothing else - but instead I am pleased because She is pleased. As long as She is happy, then everything is well and all is right in the world. The sound of her voice in my mind, satisfied and loving, makes me the happiest I have ever -

_HiccupHiccupHiccup._

It's a desperate struggle, and I feel as if I am tearing myself apart, but I throw the name up like a barrier. I think of my Hatchling's smile, of the way he leaps on me every morning and sleeps curled against my side every night. I think of his smile, his frown when it is bath time, the way he tries to run every time, and I catch him every time. Her voice fades a little, and my pace slows a little and I start thinking of turning around.

_No! Clever little Hatchling, but you shan't escape my net that easily. _

Her voice is back; whispering, always whispering. The ocean gives way to rocky shores and I suddenly find myself in a huge, cavernous volcano - mostly inactive, from the smell. The hot, sulfurous air is heavenly on my scales, and for a moment I forget my panic in favour of _heatwarmfire. _There are many other Dragons here, whole nests cowering on the many ledges within the cavern. They stare at me with disinterest, their gazes as flat and lifeless as though they were made of stone. Smoke obscures the base of the pit and I circle absently in the air before I select an empty ledge from myself. I want to go _home, _but this is home, and why ever would I wish to go anywhere else?

_Welcome home, my child. _Her voice says, eerily echoing my own thoughts, and I think again of my soft, squishy little Skinchanger who jumps all over me and seems to forget how fragile he is. This is not home, because home is laughter and clear lake water, and a Hatchling I have no idea how to raise but I'm still try-

_Enough! _

Her voice snaps in my mind and my thoughts grind to a halt, Hiccup's face chased away by the razor sharpness of Her tone. The smoke below me swirls, and then a black hole slowly emerges and Skymother save us, it's not a black hole it's a _nostril. _Her nostril is bigger than my head, and it's one of two. And as the great head slowly rises from the smoke, terror ices the blood in my veins, and I can't move although my mind desperately gibbers at me to _flyrungetaway. _She is the biggest Dragon I have ever seen, and when She hauls herself up to the level of my little niche, She has to tilt her head in order to pin me with a glare - from all three of Her eyes.

_There you are, _She says and Her voice is a purr, scraping over my thoughts like talon on rocks. I cower on the ledge, my belly pressed close to the heated rock and she bares her teeth at me in what I think is meant to be a smile.

_Fear not, little Voidsinger. You are perfectly safe here. _She exhales and hot breath washes over me, stinking of ash, death and blood. _Welcome to the family. _She adds, with a quick glance over the other Dragons. The word family tickles at my mind, and She is speaking still, Her voice in my mind, but I think _HiccupHiccupHiccup _and slowly Her voice fades to a quiet hum in the recesses of my thoughts. She is trying to command me, bend me to Her will, but I clutch tight to the memory of my Hatchling; to the worry of leaving him alone in the dark.

At first, it seems to be working, and I feel Her control over my body slipping. Just a moment more and I can flee back to the cove, to safety and home. Abruptly, my peace ends and it feels like I've taken a tailspike directly to the head. It's agony, and I roar in protest and paw at my skull, as though I might claw the pain out. I feel Her digging in my mind, sifting through my memories even as I scramble to keep them away from Her grasp.

_Clever Hatchling to resist me so. _She comments, and she's annoyed but also impressed and I am not sure which scares me most. _But how are you - ah. _Satisfaction ripples through Her tone, and I had thought I was terrified before but now my heart feels like it might burst from my chest.

_A Skinchanger? How...Quaint. _She comments, and suddenly Hiccup's face pops into my mind again, but this time his creamy skin is pale, his eyes glassy and distant. There is no smile on his face, no puckered frown of displeasure, no twinkle of mischief in his eyes. For the first time in a long time, I wish Dragons could cry. I want to close my eyes, to stop seeing, but the images are in my mind when I cannot escape them.

"Stop!" I cry aloud, and without ever making the decision to do so, I shoot my flame in Her smiling face. It's a weak blast, and I think longingly of the impressive firepower of my Mother, whose fire would certainly not be extinguished by a single snort from Her giant nose.

_Watch your tone, Hatchling. _She snaps, but the images stop and I cannot be more relieved. I curl into the smallest ball I can manage, thinking of the days when life was simple and full of flying and fish and Mother, who fixed everything.

_Now we understand one another. You _will _obey me, little Voidsinger. They all do. _She says, and I think She is trying to comfort me, but I do not feel comforted. She slowly withdraws, sinking back into the pit, but her influence stays tight around my mind, locking quivering muscles into place. _I am not a cruel Mother, _She whispers to me, all tenderness and love now that She has me where she wants. _You may go back to your little pet, Hatchling. But you will feed me, as the others do. If you do not fetch me enough…_ She doesn't continue, but the memory of Hiccup's empty gaze is fresh in my mind, and I need no further reminders.

As soon as her hold slackens on my body, I shoot from the ledge and out of the cavern with all the speed my species are famed for. The night sky swallows me and I am a silent, invisible shadow as I race across the land. All I can think of is Hiccup, and the thought that something may have happened while I was gone. What if it wasn't a vision, but truth? What if She had done something while I was gone, taken my adopted family away from me?

I don't even bother with a proper landing when I finally return to the cove, dropping from the sky with all the grace of a Fledgling Dragon on their first flight. The cove is empty, no Hiccup in sight. The place we'd fallen asleep together is empty, the grass still bearing the indents our bodies had made.

Hiccup is gone, and I want to howl at the injustice of it. I want to burn everything in sight, and then find more things to burn when my fire returns. I want to tear Her apart bit by bit until there is nothing left, because how _dare _she take my free will, and my Hatchling -

And then a small explosion hits my side, and I'm so surprised by it I end up bowled over without quite knowing how. I'm on edge, and I nearly attack on instinct alone, but the familiar scent reaches my nose and I am so relieved I wish again for the ability to cry. Hiccup is whole and warm and safe, his skinny limbs wrapped tight around my neck, his face pressed against my cheek and jaw.

"You left!" He accuses in a small voice, the tiny tremor in his town enough to tell me how frightened he was. I drag him back to our sleeping place, and when he refuses to let go I simply lie down and curl around his fragile form.  
"I went for a fly," I say, and the lie sits uncomfortably on my tongue. But he is just a Hatchling, not yet ready to understand how our lives have just taken a very different turn.

One day when he is older and stronger, we will burn Her up, together. She threatened my family, an insult I am not likely to forget anytime soon. Nor will I forget the empty, blank stares of my Dragon brethren, or the stench of Dragonflesh on Her breath. I don't know if she is still listening to my thoughts, but I hope she is; I want her to read her doom in my mind, to know she may have won this round, but she hasn't beaten me, not yet.


End file.
